Car coupling



Jan. 15', .1924. 1,480,678

C.G.FEUCHT CAR COUPLING Filed June 3, 1922 Lso To all whom #may concern.'

` section.

Patented Jan. 15, 1924.

Unirse stares CHRISTIAN e. FEUCHT, or BROOKLYN, New YORK.`

GAR COUTILING.

' Application led June 3,

Beit known that I, CHRISTIAN G. FEUCHT, a citizenof the United States, and resident of Brooklym'in the county 4of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car Couplings, of which they following' is a specification.

The present invention relates tocar couplings and is designed more 'particularlyfor roller coasters in which a plurality of cars are coupled together andelevated'up an inclined track by a carrier chain, and then run'by gravity over numerous dips, rises and curves,`causing'upon the ca'rs a ,wide ranger ofrapid angular movements which are transmitted to the couplings.

The general object of the invention is to provide a resilient coupling adapted yto aba'bsorbboth the compressive and tensional shocks occasioned by the movements of the cars, and to yieldingly co-operate with the carrier chain of the inclined track section to eifect an equal driving action upon theseveral connected cars.

A further object is to provide lubricating means forthe several parts ofthe coupling and to protect the saine against dust or damage by means of a suitable casing.

The objects also include a coupling having its opposite ends similarly constructed whereby, in coupling up, the ends may be reversed within the coupling heads and still retain a proper coupled position;` the construction also' includes means, in casev of disconnection or breakage at one end, for supporting the coupling in such` a manner as to prevent the lfree end vfrom falling upon the track and tendingto derail the cars.

' `'For further comprehension 'ofthe invention, and of the objects `and advantages thereof, reference is had to the following description and accompanying drawings, andA to the appendedclaimsin` which the various features of the invention are more particularlyA pointed out. f y

Figure 1 ofthe drawings is' an exterior plan view of the' coupling yconstructed in k 'accordance with the present invention.

i Figure'2 is a sideview yshown partially in FigureB isa side elevation ofa plurality yof cars coupled together and shown in connection with a carrier chain. f

As' shown in the drawings numeral 10 1922. serial no. 565,541.'

`the heads being provided with the jaws 11,

perforated to` receive the coupling pins 12. Hingedly mounted atene end between the liayws 11 by the pins 12 are the coupling e links 13, the opposite end of which is slotted or grooved ina manner to form the twor side walls 111, arranged to receive the tongue l5 of the coupling ends 16 and` 17, the

side wallsfby the pins 18. At their joint ends the connected couplingvlinks 13 and tongues 14 slidably engage eachother and form bearing faces 2O -and 2()a arranged to receive in part the compressive thrusts on the coupling for the partial relief of the pins 18. At the faces 20a, the coupling ends 16 and 17 laterally project'oneither side of their tongues 15 and forma clearance space with respectto they opposite beveled ledges 21 formed on the links 13 and permit a limited degree of pivotal moveyment abouttheir pivotal connection' 18.

The coupling end 16 is provided with a vreduced portion 22, havingwthreadeden- 'gagernentwiththe interior of the tubular member 23, the larger diameter ofthe coupling end A,being also in threaded engagement with.` the interior o-f the outer casing 24,'the reduction of the coupling end forming a' shoulder or` abutment on 'thev latter yadapted to receive thethrust yof one end of 'the spring 25. Also the coupling end 17 is reduced 'to form a coupling rod. 19 which extends in slidable engagement into the tubular member 23;l a collar 26 slidingly surrounds the latterand` is fixed to the rod f 1,9 by the pin 27, preferably 'formed oblong in cross section, with its longer dimension alined with the axis of the'rod tomaintain Atongues being hingedly connected tothe tubular member ywhich looselyl receives the s pin and `permits avlii'nited rotary movement `between the tubular member and the rod.

To the free end of the tubular member 23 isixed in threaded relation ya ybush'29 which.y surrounds the rod 19 and with respect theren tois provided with an vannular chamber or recessto receive the packing ring 30, pref- 'erably of yfelt material.' The inner end of the bush serves as an abutment Vfor the holes 32 are provided for the bush 29, and by means of a suitable pin wrench the bush may readily 'be removed for the renewal ot the packing 30, andthe introduction of a lubricant into the casing.

The two springs 25 and 31 are proportioned to absorb the shock and resist the compressive and tensional forces due to the v movements of the cars, the former force being transmitted by the inward movement of the rod 19 and collar 26, whichcompresses the spring 25against the shoulder formed on the coupling end 16, and the latter or tensional force by the outward movement of the rod and collar acting to compress the spring 31 against the bush 29.

As thus provided with the outer casing 24, the resilient parts are fully protected against dust and damage and the casing also i serves as a container for the necessary lubricant which works its way 'around the springs and through thel slots 28 and over thefsurlfaces of they several sliding parts. Furthermore `the outer casing as thus centrally spaced with and connected at opposite ends to the tubular membern23 jointly `operates therewith to more effectively resist the lateral thrusts from the moving cars.

By means of the double hinge connections of thecoupling` links 13 and coupling ends 16 and 17, together with the limited rotary `movement between the coupling rod and tubular member ail'orded by the clearance the elongated slot of the latter, the coupling may assume the universal angular posit-ions required for the movement of the cars over the various dips, rises and curved track sections, and in the event of an accidental disconnection or breakage at oneend ofthe coupling,.the loose end thereof is supported by the opposite coupling end in its engagement with the beveled ledges 21 formed on the edges of the side walls 14. As thus supported the loose end of the n disconnected coupling is prevented from falling upon the track and tending to derail the cars.

As shown in F ig. 3, the carrier chain 32 'acting through the dogs 33 is adapted to exert an equal driving action `upon the several cars bythe yielding actionl of the coupling 24- which allows the weight ot a car or its running resistance to be transmitted through its dog to the adjacent car- .y rier link.

the coupling, it is to be understood that detail changes may be made therein without departing from the general principle of the invention. y

Having thus described by invention, what ,I claim and desire to secure by Letters provided at the opposite or free end of saidf tubular member iter engaging the inner wall oi said casingand forming a. spring abutment, a coupling rod having an end longitudinally slidable in said tubular member and provided at its opposite end with a 'car connection,A a collar slidably mounted on said tubular member and connected through the walls of the latter in fixed relation with said coupling rod, and helical springs mounted 'uponsaid tubular member-on' op* posite sides of said collar and disposed to engage said abutments and exert an endwise resistance in opposite directions to the movement of said rod; f

2, In a car coupling, an outer' casing pro* vided at one end with Va car connection, a tubular member disposed in spaced relation within said casing and secured at one end to the car connection thereof and arranged to form a spring abutment'thereon, a bush L detachably 'secured to the opposite or free end of said tubular mjember for engagement with the linner wall of said casing and forming a spring abutment, a coupling rod having' an end longitudinally slidable in said tubular member and provided at'its opposite Iend with a car connection, acollar slidably mounted on said tubular member and connected through the walls of the latter 1n fixed relation with said coupling rod, andV helical springs mounted upon saidtubular member on opposite sides of said collar and disposed to engage said abutments and exert an endwise resistance inoppos-ite directions to the movement of said rod. i

3. A car coupling' comprising a coupling end provided with a reduced end portion and forming therewith a shoulder or abutment, a tubular member threaded at one end' 1 to the reduced portion of said coupling end,

a bush threaded to the opposite end of said tubular member and forming therewith an abutment, a coupling rod slidable through said bush and within said tubular member and having its outer end provided vwith a car connection, collar slidable on said tubular member and fixed to said coupling rod by a pin extending throi'igh and movable in a slot formed in the walls of said tubular member, and springs disposed around said tubular mem-ber and between said collar' and the abutments at the ends of said tubular member.

4. A car coupling comprising a tubular member provided at one end with an enlarged portion forming a car connection and a spring abutment, said tubular member having slots extending through the op posite side walls thereoi, a bush secured to the opposite end of said tubular member and forming therewith a spring abutment, a coupling rod slidable through said bush and within said tubular member and having its outer end provided with a car connection, a collar slidable on said tubular member and iixed to said coupling rod by a pin extending through and slidable within the slots formed in said tubular member, springs disposed around said tubular mem ber and between said collar and the abutments at the ends of said tubular member, and a casing enclosing said springs, collar and tubular member, said casing being fixed at one end to the enlarged portion provided for the tubular member.

5. A car coupling comprising a tubular member provided at one end with a car connection, a coupling rod slidable within said tubular member and having its outer end provided with a car connection, a bush fixed to the opposite end of the tubular member and havin a portion thereof surrounding the couplmg rod and shaped with respect thereto to form an annular chamber for the reception of packing, and springs arranged upon said tubular member andadapted to resist the compressive and tensional stresses between said coupling rod and said tubular member.

6. In a car coupling, a casing provided at one end with a coupling` connection, a tubular member mounted within said casing in spaced relation therewith and Iixed to the coupling connection, a bush adjustably mounted in the opposite or free end of said casing and secured to said tubular member, a coupling rod slidable at one end through said bush and within said tubular member and provided at its outer end with a coupling connection, a collar slidable in the space between said casing and tubular member and fixed to said coupling rod, and springs disposed within the space between said casing and tubular member and on opposite sides of said collar and adapted to exert an endwise resistance in opposite directions to the movement of said rod.

7. In a car coupling, a casing provided at one end with a coupling connection, a tubular member mounted within said casing in spaced relation therewith and detachably fixed to the coupling connection, a bush adjustably mounted in the opposite or free end of said casing and detachably secured to said tubular member, said latter member having its opposite side walls provided with elongated slots, a coupling rod slidable at one end through said bush and within said tubular member and provided at its oppo-V site end with a coupling connection, a collar slidable in the space between said casing and tubular member and ixed to said coupling rod by a pinloosely extending through the elongated slots in the side walls of said tubular member, and springs disposed within the space between said casing and tubular member and on oppositey sides of said collar and adapted to exert an endwise resistance in opposite directions to the movement of said rod.

Signed at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, this 29th day of May A. D. 1922.

CHRISTIAN G. FEUCI-IT. 

